Castle Rat's Riley Pinkerton: Long Live the Rat Queen, Forever in Her Realm

Tony Reed is a guitarist, songwriter, producer, and recording engineer whose career is rooted in heavy, soulful rock ’n’ roll. Best known for Mos Generator, he has built a respected body of work both onstage and behind the console, bringing a hands-on, independent approach to every project. As a member of Pentagram, Reed contributes guitar, songwriting, and a deep understanding of the band’s powerful legacy. His work helps connect the classic sound of Pentagram with a new era of music and recording. Beyond Pentagram, Tony continues to create with Mos Generator and his other musical projects, while producing and recording artists across the heavy-rock spectrum. In this interview, he discusses recording, writing new music, working with Pentagram, and the bands that keep him inspired.

Bobby Liebling is the iconic frontman and founding member of Pentagram, one of the most influential bands in underground heavy music. Since the early 1970s, Pentagram has forged a distinctive sound built on heavy riffs, dark atmosphere, blues, and raw rock ’n’ roll energy. Over the decades, Bobby and Pentagram have inspired generations of musicians and fans, helping lay the foundation for doom metal while remaining fiercely original. Their music has survived trends, lineups, and eras because it carries a timeless intensity. In this interview, Bobby reflects on Pentagram’s history, the road that shaped the band, its lasting influence, and the music still to come.

Alex Mitchell is the singer and creative force behind Circus of Power, the hard-rock band that emerged from New York City’s East Village in the late 1980s. Known for its raw sound, blues-driven riffs, and high-energy performances, Circus of Power built a dedicated following and remains an important name in underground American rock. Mitchell has continued to create beyond the band, pursuing music through a range of projects while staying true to the independent, uncompromising spirit that shaped his career. His work carries the same intensity and individuality that made Circus of Power stand out. Today, Alex is also focused on visual art while developing new music and creative collaborations. With fresh projects underway, he continues to explore new ways to create, connect, and push his work forward.

Evan Seinfeld’s story starts in Brooklyn, where Biohazard forged a raw crossover sound that brought hardcore, metal, and hip-hop energy into the same room. Decades later, the band remains a symbol of resilience, rebellion, and community—qualities that have defined Seinfeld’s life onstage and off. In this podcast conversation, Seinfeld reflects on Biohazard’s return to creating new music and what it means to revisit that chemistry with the band’s classic lineup. He also discusses the discipline required to keep evolving creatively while honoring the intensity and truth that built the group’s legacy. The discussion moves beyond music into what is ahead: a forthcoming book, mantorship, and his continued commitment to fitness and personal development. Seinfeld shares a practical message for anyone rebuilding themselves—show up consistently, stay accountable, and turn hard-earned experience into something that can help the next person.

Dylan Carlson formed Earth in Olympia, Washington, in 1989. Centered on Carlson’s guitar work, the band helped shape drone metal through slow tempos, sustained tones, heavy distortion, and repetition rather than traditional riffs or fast-playing. Their 1993 release, Earth 2: Special Low-Frequency Version, became a foundational record for the genre. Following albums such as Phase 3: Thrones and Dominions and Pentastar: In the Style of Demons, Earth went on hiatus in the late 1990s. Carlson restarted the project in the early 2000s with drummer Adrienne Davies. This new era retained Earth’s unhurried approach but introduced cleaner tones and influences from country, folk, jazz, and Western film scores. Records including Hex; Or Printing in the Infernal Method and The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull showed how Earth evolved while keeping its signature sense of weight and restraint. Across its history, the band has remained distinctive for creating intensity through atmosphere, space, and patience.